The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-16
Views of Rev. DR.. Boardman, Rev. Norman
Fox and Others on the Organic Union
of Christend0m.
An Interesting Discussion on Some OF
the Phases of the Labor Question.
Dangers of Land Monopoly in America,
and How They May Be Avoided.


manhood, with pair of blonde mustaches that
reach out in ponderous majesty four or five
inches on either side of the profile of his chin.
| He called the sixth annual meeting of the Bap-
fist Congress to order in easy Righteousness
| STYLE at o'clock yesterday afternoon and
| nounced the opening hymn and devotional ex-
| ercises, which were conducted by DR.. Edward
Ellis, OF Chicago, secretary of the Home Mission
| airy Society of the Baptist Church. President
Holman then made brief address of welcome
| to the visiting brethren. and introduced Rev. G..
! D. Boardman, of Philadelphia, who opened the
| discussion of the day.
| DIR. Boa-dman is a rather small man, quite
| gray. He is a quick. nervous-seeming man. but
| yet with complete command of himself He
| speaks sharply, but with much force. He said
| that the true church of Christ was organic
body, but under the control of men its practical
| appearance was far from this The church of
prophecy was clearly one of unity The sheep
| of all folds were to be gathered in one flock.
| The central principle of the Christian
| church is, Thou shalt love the Lord
| thy God with all thy heart and all thy soul,
| and all thy mind. and thy neighbor myself"
In truth, this is the sum of religion. The unity
| of the church is not mere a sentiment. The last
| prayer of the Master that His children
| might be united in Him. But is unity pract-
| cable2 The mere decreeing of uniformity cannot
| accomplish it, as has been seen in the case of
! the Catholic Church. The end cannot be OBJ
| tanned by the abolition Of sects. Aside from
| the objections of the sects themselves,
| should none of us care to destroy those that
exist, or blot out the history of those that have
| died away Every sect has its own advantages
| and benefits ''We Baptists," said the speaker
| Knight improve ourselves by cultivatng some
of the characteristics of other sects. Unity can
| not be obtained by compromises. Nothing is
| more sacred than the conscientious convictions
that would have to be surrendered on this plan
and the result would be wishy washy product
like acomposite photograph, with no distinctness
| of outline and no identity of feature.
How. then, is unity to be obtainedl think
only by Gods own rule of unity of diversity.
Every unit is composed of diverse parts each
| performing its own functions The church is
the superb finite instance of differentiation and
| specialization. The complete analogy 10
that of the great apostle, many members in one
| body We may not reach union but we may at
| creeds No man find all truth. But we
need not waste time in hammering dversites
| into monotonous uniformity When the true
| church is reached we shall all be high church
| men because true to God; all low churchmen be-
cause true to man; ali broad churchmen because
| true to both God and man."
Rev. Norman Fox. of New York city, spoke
next He IS rather young-looking man. slight
| iy bald and slightly gray. He spoke only to the
Other Churchesp He declared that this
| not true; that they would gladly have union,
| but the doors of other churches are slammed in
| their faces. A Baptist might desire to enter
| other churches for convenience worship, but
| very few Presbyterian ministers would baptize
| him by immersion. and Methodists would do it
| reluctantly as make the ceremony absurd
| and no pleasant He sketched the arguments
| support of immersion. and declared that self
| could not speak in defense of his
| ideas whenever anyone spoke against
| them. Until this perfect freedom is
| reached, Baptists are obliged to stand aloof.
| If ministers of other churches are excluded from
| them because they adopt Baptist views to
| immersion or baptism of infants, it is the duty
| of Baptists to rally to his aid. Before any
| movement towards union between Baptists and
| other communions be made three conces-
sions must be made by them. First. a candidate
| for mbership must, if he desires, be inn
mersed. willingly and gracously; second.
member must be permitted to speak in defense
of his views third. ministers must not be ex-
| cuded because they refuse to baptlze by sprink-
| ling, baptize infants
Rev. Justus Buckley. of Shurtleff College,
| Upper Alton, ILL.,, was next introduced. He is
| man past middle age, with full gray beard.
| and wearing spectacles He speaks roundly and
| firmly. He said that he thought Christ had
left the pattern of His church in the New Tesla
mont, and that there could be organic union
of churches SO long as men insisted on adding to
| that fabric from outside sources. The true
method was to search the Scriptures for the
| truth. If any body of men have the truth 9TH
ers must come to them, and it is pleasant fact
| that in the last seventy five years other denomi-
nations have bent perceptibly toward the funda-
| mental truths of the Baptist Church. Tradition
can never be put on an equality with
| the Scriptures as a rule of faith There can
| never be any union except the basis of the
Scriptures There be universal church
| except on basis of regeneration, of baptism by
immersion after regeneration. OF no infant
baptism. OF no union of church and state of
| congregational church government, and of the
| fundamental principles of revealed religion.
Without the attainment of these pri nciples
a.
slrabe. Hence church union is far off that
| the path of duty for Baptisss lies it has be-
fore. in answering fidelity the truth, and in
| kindly aid and fellowship to other sects.
AS neither Dr. Macarthur, of New York, nor
| DR.. Lorimer, of Chicago, who had places on the
| programme, were present. the volunteer speak
ers were heard at once. The frs. was DR.. E. A.
Wood. of Cleveland. middle aged man. bright.
clear and strong. He thought some should
write article on the organic union of the three
gentlemen who had spoken. The mission of the
| Baptist Church was to give the world biblical
| theology. Union in work is practicable, but
| union of denominations is not. and it is not de-
| sirabe. II do not look nor pray for time" he
said. when all men shall be Baptists, but to the
| time when all men shall be Christians"
Rev. A. nj. Parmenter, of Huntington, said he
came pupil to ask a question. He had heard
great deal of branches of the church. He
wished to know, if all churches including the
Roman Catholic. were branches what was anti
| Christ. and who was the scarlet woman.
| Rev. W. c. Wilkinson, of Tarrytown. n. Y.
was then called. He said that in the papers
| presented he thought he perceived unity in
diversity. Christ prayed for unity in himself,
| and that through obedience to Him. The vital
unity o. Christendom is to be obtained by obedi-
| ence to Jesus Christ. l would not aim at union.
| but at obedience, and when that is attained
| union will be attained.
Phases of the Labor Question Discussed.
The attendance at the evening session was
much larger than in the afternoon. The meet
| ing called to order by the president, and
| after anthem by the choir and devotional
ercises, conducted by Rev. B. F. Cavens, of
| Peru, ex-senator j. r. Doottle, of Chicago.
was introduced. He is sturdy gentleman.
looking not so old he is, being
| over seventy, and with professional
| air. He said that the land question
| began in the Garden of Eden. Then it